


Problems Without Solutions

by fencer_x



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 14:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13436847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencer_x/pseuds/fencer_x
Summary: Some problems don't particularly need solving; just addressing. And getting to know them might not hurt, either.





	Problems Without Solutions

Rei has a problem.

Well, not so much a problem—but yes, a problem, because it's becoming an issue, even though he can't really put his finger on why it's an issue, only that he knows it must be, because he's sweating and having trouble breathing and it feels like he needs to come up for air but he can't do that because _he isn't under water_ , he's just sitting here cross-legged on the floor of Nagisa's room, back straight and stiff against the mattress behind him and staring resolutely ahead, because he mustn't make any false moves.

He has a problem, and it is nuzzling the sensitive crease where his hip blends into his torso and it is causing _a problem, a big problem_.

He's realizing, though, that he only has himself to blame, and that his problems don't start with Nagisa asleep in his lap, treating his thigh like a pillow and the edge of the wifebeater Rei is wearing as a baby blanket to snuggle with—no, his problems only end here (though they seem interminable). He can't pinpoint where they precisely started—perhaps with Nagisa failing his last math exam and putting himself squarely in danger of not being able to make the prefectural tournament given that it fell on the same weekend as the re-test, or perhaps it was with Rei opening his big mouth and suggesting that he tutor his friend—Nagisa had taken such care of Rei so far, it was only fair that he return the favor in some manner.

Or perhaps it had been neither of their faults, perhaps it was just this stifling summer heat and the soft drone of cicadas that sapped their stamina (though he doubted Nagisa had much stamina to spare for quadratic equations and volumes of pyramids) and had Nagisa flopped down on his back, spread eagle and complaining that Rei's floor was hard and uncomfortable and _gimme your lap, Rei-chan_ , all pushy and needy and whiny and irritatingly convincing. 

Whatever the source of his problem, the fact remains that he must deal with it now—and he would, would only be _too_ happy to, had he any idea how to do so.

But he doesn't—hasn't the faintest clue what to do now that Nagisa looks so comfortable, lips curling up at the edges and breathing soft and even, the quiet and calm that has draped itself over him in stark contrast to his usually upbeat, brash nature. His fingers curl tighter in the hem of Rei's shirt, and he turns his face into Rei's thigh more, giving a little shake as he burrows and mumbles something unintelligible, and Rei stifles a high keening moan in the back of his throat, throwing his head back and staring up at the ceiling in some vain hope that he might be struck dead where he sits.

He's just not used to this, is all. He's not used to _friends_ —not used to whatever _Nagisa_ is. He's been on a team before—but track is only a team sport in name. There are team members, there is a "track team", but there is no camaraderie, no dependency, no support to be given or received—and Rei had liked that. He _had_.

But now, Nagisa has dragged him away from his numbers and solitary respite, the knowledge that he is the only person standing between himself and victory, and shown him the grace and beauty and warmth and support that swimming, swimming as a _team_ can offer. He would thank Nagisa if he thought it wouldn't go to his friend's head, but he knows it will, so he keeps his mouth shut and his head down.

He still has a problem, though. Neither of their sempais are here right now to extricate Rei from this harrowing situation, and he suddenly has the sinking sensation that _this_ is what it feels like to be 'thrown in the deep end'. And he can't Butterfly his way out of Nagisa's snuggling, clinging grasp without embarrassing himself.

So he does the only logical thing there is to do and just takes a few deep breaths and tries—tries, mind you—to relax, to slow his heartbeat to thud at the same restrained rate as Nagisa's, to time their breaths and sync their movements. He watches Nagisa sleep curled into his side, experiments with mirroring his breathing and inhaling on Nagisa's every exhale, tries to follow the curl of a strand of hair from root to tip to see if Nagisa's naturally this light-headed or if he perhaps dyes (which he's certain is against school policy, but teammates don't snitch on one another). There's a bead of sweat forming at Nagisa's temple, quivering and catching the light, and Rei frowns before clenching his fist and hesitantly, carefully, ever-so-slowly reaching up to smooth it away, freezing in place when Nagisa cocks his head to the side to slide his jaw neatly into Rei's palm.

Rei holds stiff, breathing stalled, and Nagisa's lids flutter blearily as he tries to remember where he is and what he's doing. Any thoughts or efforts to pull his hand away are quickly kiboshed as Nagisa breaths in deeply, breath rushing over Rei's palm, and smiles as he stretches like a cat and reorients himself to lie on his back with his neck propped up properly on Rei's thigh. "Mornin' Rei-chan," he drawls sleepily around a yawn.

Rei pulls his hand away now, clearing his throat. "It's 5 in the afternoon; you slept for perhaps 20 minutes."

"Mmm, I know. Just wanted to try it on." His grin widens and he tugs Rei's hand back before he can do something with it to distract from the fact that he'd been all but caressing Nagisa's face just now. He studies the fingers intently, turning it palm-side-up and then down in turn and biting his lower lip in concentration. "Rei-chan's hands are beautiful."

Rei frowns; he hates idle compliments. "They're calloused and bulky; hardly beautiful."

When he jerks his hand back, Nagisa frowns, bordering on pouting. "I think they're beautiful, though. And bigger is better in swimming—you'll have more power on your strokes, more surface area to cup the water." He holds his own arms up, wrinkling his nose. "I hate being so scrawny sometimes."

Rei twitches involuntarily, brows furrowing in hurt; it's not like Nagisa to be so self-deprecating, and he realizes with a jolt that he distinctly does _not_ like it. "Don't be ridiculous; you're perfect the way—"

He immediately brightens and sits up so quickly he nearly collides with Rei's chin. "Really?"

"I—yes?" Rei falters, struggling to remember the last few words from his mouth because for some reason everything is blank in his mind, and all he can see is Nagisa's wide eyes and wider mouth, hands on Rei's shoulders trying to shake more compliments free. "I suppose?"

Nagisa settles back on his legs in seiza, picking at his nails and fidgeting in place. "Rei-chan's too nice…" he mutters with a wry smile. "Smart and beautiful and kind." He adds with a quirk of his lip and a flicked glance up to Rei's face to gauge his reaction, "But still really bad at swimming."

"I—I'll get better," Rei protests hotly, but his irritation is blunted by the fact that, well, Nagisa is right. He's the weakest member of the team, despite his physique, and no amount of taking responsibility on Nagisa's part can change that any time soon.

Nagisa must suspect he's touched a nerve, for he reaches over and brushes the pads of his fingers over Rei's knuckles, ducking his head so he has to look Nagisa in the eye. "Yeah, you will," he reassures. "You belong with us, after all."

And no one's ever told Rei he belongs. He's been adequate, even ideal, has had his presence appreciated before, but no club, no team, no group of friends has ever told him that his place is _with them_ , that he isn't meant to be anywhere else but at their side, and he feels an uncharacteristic wave of emotion bearing down on him which Nagisa mistakes for offense—and then he's quickly muttering apologies, tripping over himself to say he's sorry, really, he didn't mean it, he was just teasing, and _please Rei-chan, please don't, please—_

And then he's murmuring these sweet-nothings against Rei's lips, fingers skittering up to fist in the collar of the wife-beater like before at the hem, tugging Rei bodily close as Nagisa laves an apology over chapped lips with a swipe of his tongue, interspersed with hot breath protesting _you'll get better, you'll be beautiful in the water, I know it_. Rei is too overwhelmed with all this _everything_ , Nagisa practically crawling into his lap, one leg half straddling and his shin pressing into Rei's stomach as he settles his forehead against Rei's, like a parent trying to calm a child—and it kind of works, the way he strokes his fingers light and faint down the back of Rei's neck, a soft tempo of _I didn't mean it like that, I was just teasing_.

Rei sits there, silently digesting what just happened for a long time, so long that he thinks Nagisa might have fallen asleep against him again, their breaths coming slow and even, synchronizing like before.

And now Rei has a _new_ problem.


End file.
